Rotary engine

ABSTRACT

A rotary engine includes pistons disposed in operating chambers of a rotary member. The pistons are guided by guiding pieces engaged in a guiding groove formed at a housing so that the operating chambers are expanded. Each of the operating chambers includes an intake/exhaust port, which is opened or closed by a shutoff valve and a shutoff plate guided along guiding grooves formed at the housing. An exhaust chamber is caved in the housing so that an explosion stroke is carried out at the rear part of the exhaust chamber, whereby a rotating force is obtained. Compressed air is supplied into the operating chambers through air-supplying channels, which are opened or closed by shutoff valves, so that gas left in the operating chambers is forcibly discharged. Consequently, introduction of lubricant through the intake/exhaust ports or leakage of pressure is prevented, and large power is obtained.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine, and moreparticularly to a rotary engine.

Background Art

Rotary engines are disclosed in PCT/KR02/00921, which has been filed inthe name of the applicant of the present application, EP 103,985, and FR1,255,205.

In the rotary engine disclosed in each of the above patent documents, arotary member is rotated about a rotating shaft in a cylindricalhousing. When the rotary member is rotated, pistons disposed inoperating chambers of the rotary member are slidably moved along theouter circumference of an elliptical guiding member disposed in thecenter of the rotary member so that the operating chambers arecompressed and expanded by means of the pistons, respectively.

Consequently, the rotary member is rotated while being kept in wholecontact with the inner wall of the cylindrical housing, whereby it isvery difficult to provide an oil seal between the rotary member and theinner wall of the cylindrical housing. Even if such an oil seal isprovided between the rotary member and the inner wall of the cylindricalhousing, at least some of the lubricant inevitably flows into theoperating chambers when the rotary member passes by the lubricatingsection of the housing since an intake/exhaust port formed at each ofthe operating chambers is exposed with the result that incompletecombustion is caused due to the inflow of the lubricant.

Also, pressure leaks through the oil seal when high pressure isgenerated in the operating chambers during the compression stroke,expansion stroke, and exhaust stroke of the operating chambers, whichleads to loss of fuel. Furthermore, combustion in the rotary engine isnot properly accomplished due to lack of the fuel. As a result, highexpansion pressure is not obtainable for the supplied amount of thefuel.

Moreover, the above-described rotary engine is not provided with meansfor discharging the exhaust gas left after the combustion in the rotaryengine. Consequently, at least some of the exhaust gas is left in theoperating chambers. Also, the rotary engine obtains power simply bymeans of sliding movement of the tail parts of the pistons from theupper dead center of the guiding member to the lower dead center of theguiding member when the combustion in the rotary engine is performed.Consequently, large power cannot be obtained by means of theconventional rotary engine.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the aboveproblems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide arotary engine that is capable of preventing leakage of oil or pressure,completely discharging exhaust gas, and performing explosion strokes atthe rear of a partitioned exhaust chamber, whereby large power can beobtained.

In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objectscan be accomplished by the provision of a rotary engine comprising: acylindrical housing having an intake chamber and an exhaust chamberformed at the inner wall thereof, the intake and exhaust chambers beingcaved in the inner wall of the housing and surrounded by oil seals; anda rotary member rotated in the housing, the rotary member includingoperating chambers having pistons disposed therein, wherein theoperating chambers have intake/exhaust ports, respectively, which areopened or closed by means of shutoff valves and shutoff plates so thatthe intake/exhaust ports are closed by means of the shutoff valves andthe shutoff plates after fuel is supplied, compression is accomplishedby means of the pistons, the shutoff valves and the shutoff plates areopened when they reach the ignition section, and the exhaust chamber ispartitioned by means of the opened shutoff plates with the result thatcombustion occurs in the rear part of the exhaust chamber so that poweris generated until it reaches exhaust ports, and wherein compressed airis supplied into the operating chambers through air-supplying channels,which are opened or closed by means of shutoff valves and communicatewith the operating chambers, when an exhaust stroke is carried out,whereby the exhaust gas is completely discharged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of thepresent invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a rotary engineaccording to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the rotary engine according tothe first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing a rotary engineaccording to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing oil seals used in thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a view of a housing cover of the present invention showingsome of the guide grooves formed at the housing cover;

FIG. 6 is a view of another housing cover of the present inventionshowing the other guide grooves formed at the housing cover;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotary member of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 8 is a partial exploded perspective view showing alubricant-supplying block used in the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively show, in section, a rotary engine accordingto a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the rotary engine of the present invention includes arotary member 6 disposed in a cylindrical housing 2 in such a mannerthat the rotary member 6 is rotated along with a rotating shaft 4. Therotary member 6 is provided with a plurality of operating chambers 8, inwhich pistons 12 are disposed, respectively. The pistons 12 are guidedby means of guiding pieces 10, respectively. Each of the operatingchambers 8 is provided with an intake/exhaust port 14, at which ashutoff valve 16 and a shutoff plate 18 are disposed. In each of theoperating chambers 8 is formed an air-supplying channel 22, which isopened/closed by means of another shutoff valve 20 mounted in theair-supplying channel 22. To each of the operating chambers 8 isconnected an air-supplying conduit 24 through the air-supplying channel22. At the center of the rotary member 6 is disposed a guiding member26, which is protruded from the housing 2.

The housing 2 comprises a housing body and housing covers fixed to thehousing body by means of bolts.

In the housing body of the housing 2 are formed an intake chamber 32 andan exhaust chamber 34, which are surrounded by oil seals 28 and 30,respectively. The intake chamber 32 and the exhaust chamber 34 are cavedin the inner wall of the housing body of the housing 2. At the inlet ofthe exhaust chamber 34 is disposed an ignition plug 36 or a fuelinjector, which is selected depending upon which kind of engine is to beprovided. At the outlet of the exhaust chamber 34 are disposed exhaustports 38.

Specifically, the ignition plug 36 is disposed at the inlet of theexhaust chamber 34 when a gasoline engine is to be provided. On theother hand, the fuel injector is disposed at the inlet of the exhaustchamber 34 when a diesel engine is to be provided. In this case, thefuel injector is easily disposed at the inlet of the exhaust chamber 34simply by changing the design of the engine.

It should be noted, however, that the ignition plug or the fuel injectoris not necessarily mounted in the housing 2. Preferably, the ignitionplug or the fuel injector is disposed at the intake/exhaust port 14 ofeach of the operating chamber 8 of the rotary member 6.

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing a rotary engineaccording to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Inthe rotary engine of the present invention as shown in FIG. 3, anignition plug 36′ or a fuel injector is mounted in a rotary member 6′.The ignition parts of the ignition plug 36 or the injection parts of thefuel injector are disposed in intake/exhaust ports 14′, respectively. Afuel-supplying conduit or cable may be disposed through a groove formedat the rotary member 6′.

The intake chamber 32 and the exhaust chamber 34, which are formed inthe housing body of the housing 2, are spatially restricted by means ofpartitions 32′ and 34′ protruded inwardly from the inner wall of thehousing body of the housing 2 so that a lubricating operation is carriedout at other spaces excluding the restricted spaces of the intakechamber 32 and the exhaust chamber 34. The intake chamber 32 may beconnected to an external fuel-pressurizing unit so that the fuel can besupplied into the housing body 2 of the housing while being pressurized.Alternatively, a turbine-type fuel-pressurizing unit may be mounted tothe rotating shaft so that the fuel can be supplied while beingpressurized.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing oil seals used in thepresent invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the oil seal 28, which surroundsthe intake chamber 32, comprises a sealing part 40 and a plate spring 44for resiliently supporting the sealing part 40. Similarly, the oil seal30, which also surrounds the exhaust chamber 34, comprises a sealingpart 42 and a plate spring 46 for resiliently supporting the sealingpart 42. The sealing parts 40 and 42 of the oil seals 28 and 30 areseparable from the housing body of the housing 2 at both sides thereofso that the oil seals 28 and 30 are adaptable when they contact theshutoff plates 18.

It should be noted, however, that the present invention is not limitedby the above-described structures of oil seals 28 and 30, and all kindsof seals, which serve as oil seals required for the present invention,can be used unlimitedly.

The upper and lower housing covers of the housing 2 are provided at theinner sides thereof with guide grooves 48, 50, 52 and 54 for guiding theguiding pieces 10, shutoff valves 16 and 20, and the shutoff plates 18.

FIG. 5 shows the guide grooves for guiding the guiding pieces 10 of thepistons and the shutoff valves, which are operated for controlling thesupply of air. As shown in FIG. 5, the guide groove 48, which guides theguiding pieces 10 of the pistons 12, is formed such that it has anelliptical part including an intake section and a semicircular part forextending the upper dead center of the elliptical part. The guide groove52 for guiding the shutoff valves 20 is formed such that it has anopened section and an isolated section, which are partitioned on thebasis of the difference of the diameters from the rotating center of therotary member 6.

FIG. 6 shows the guide grooves for guiding the shutoff valves, which areoperated for opening or closing the operating chambers, and the shutoffplates. As shown in FIG. 6, the guide grooves 50 and 54 for guiding theshutoff valves 16 and the shutoff plates 18, respectively, are formedsuch that each of them has an opened section and an isolated section,which are partitioned on the basis of the difference of the diametersfrom the rotating center of the rotary member 6.

The guiding groove 50 for guiding the shutoff valves 16 may be partiallyoverlapped with the guiding groove 52 for guiding the shutoff valves 20.In this case, the guiding groove 52 may be formed such that the depth ofthe guiding groove 52 is larger than that of the guiding groove 50,whereby the partial overlapping between the guiding groove 50 and theguiding groove 52 is avoided.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the rotary member of thepresent invention. The rotary member 6 comprises a body and covers fixedto the body by means of bolts. The rotating shaft 4 is integrally formedto one of the covers, i.e., the upper cover. At the other cover, i.e.,the lower cover, is formed a through-hole 56, through which the guidingmember 26 is inserted.

In the body of the rotary member 6 are formed one or more operatingchambers 8. Each of the operating chambers 8 is provided with theintake/exhaust port 14, through which the fuel is supplied and theexhaust gas is discharged.

In each of the operating chambers 8 is disposed the piston 12. Thepiston 12 is provided at the head part thereof with a shaft rod 58,about which the piston 12 is rotated. The tail part of the piston 12makes sliding contact with the outer circumference of the guiding member26 such that the guiding member 26 pushes the piston 12 toward theintake/exhaust port 14 when the piston 12 passes by the upper deadcenter and the lower dead center so that the operating chamber 8 iscompressed. The operating chamber 12 is expanded when the piston 12 isreturned. In this way, the above-mentioned compression and expansionstrokes of the piston 12 are sequentially accomplished.

The guiding piece 10 of each of the pistons 12 is connected to the endof the shaft rod 58 protruded outwardly from the upper cover. Theguiding piece 10 is engaged in the guiding groove 48 of the housing 2through a guiding roller provided at the end of the guiding piece 10.

The intake/exhaust port 14 of each of the operating chambers 8communicates with an operating hole 60 formed through the body of therotary member 6. In the operating hole 60 is disposed the shutoff valve16. The shutoff valve 16 is lubricated by means of a lubricant-supplyingblock 62.

The shutoff valve 16 is formed in the shape of a rod. The shutoff valve16 is provided at the part thereof disposed in the intake/exhaust port14 with a passage 64. At both ends of the shutoff valve 16 are formedguiding rods 66 and 68, respectively. The guiding rods 66 and 68 aredisposed such that they are eccentric to each other. When assembled, theguiding rods 66 and 68 are engaged in the guiding groove 50 formed atthe housing 2 so that the opening and closing operations of the guidingrods 66 and 68 are carried out while being guided along the guidinggroove 50.

FIG. 8 is a partial exploded perspective view showing thelubricant-supplying block 62, which is used to lubricate the shutoffvalve 16. As shown in FIG. 8, the lubricant-supplying block 62 has aplurality of supply channels 70 formed therethrough. Thelubricant-supplying block 62 is resiliently supported by means of aplate spring 72 disposed at the rear of the lubricant-supplying block 62so that the lubricant-supplying block 62 is disposed adjacent to theshutoff valve 16. The lubricant-supplying block 62 is inserted throughthe operating chamber longitudinally formed at one side of the operatinghole 60 of the shutoff valve 16.

The shutoff plates 18 of the rotary member 6 are disposed in operatinggrooves formed on the body of the rotary member 6, respectively. Theintake/exhaust ports 14 are disposed in the corresponding operatinggrooves. Around the intake/exhaust ports 14 are arranged oil seals 74for sealing the intake/exhaust ports 14, respectively.

Each of the shutoff plates 18 is provided at the upper and lower partsthereof in the rotating direction of the rotary member with shaft rods76 and 78, respectively. Each of the shutoff plates 18 is provided atthe upper and lower parts thereof in the direction opposite to therotating direction of the rotary member with guide rods 80 and 82,respectively. To the tail part of each of the shutoff plates 18 is fixeda roller, by means of which the shutoff plates 18 makes smooth contactwith the inner wall of the housing 2.

When assembled, the shaft rods 76 and 78 of the shutoff plates 18 areengaged in shaft holes 84 formed at the covers of the rotary member sothat the shutoff plates 18 are rotated about the shaft rods 76 and 78.The guide rods 80 and 82 of the shutoff plates 18 are engaged in theguide groove 54 formed at the housing 2 so that the shutoff plates 18are opened or closed be means of the guidance of the guide groove 54.

Each of the oil seals 74 is fixed to the body of the rotary member 6through the shaft holes 86 formed at the covers of the rotary member 6by means of bolts so that the oil seals 74 are not separated from therotary member 6 when the shutoff plates 18 are opened.

In the rotating shaft 4 are formed a lubricant-supplying channel 88 anda lubricant-discharging channel 90. The lubricant-supplying channel 88has a plurality of lubricant-supplying holes, and thelubricant-discharging channel 90 also has a plurality oflubricant-discharging holes so that lubricant is supplied between thehousing 2 and the rotary member 6, between the rotary member 6 and thepistons 12, and between the pistons 6 and the guiding member 26.

Between the lubricant-supplying channel 88 formed at the rotating shaft4 and the intake/exhaust ports 14 formed at the operating chambers 8 areformed the air-supplying channels 22, respectively. To the inlet part ofeach of the air-supplying channels 22 is connected the air-supplyingconduit 24, and at the outlet part of each of the air-supplying channels22 is disposed the shutoff valve 20 so that air is supplied to theoperating chambers 8 when the gas is exhausted.

The shutoff valve 20 is also formed in the shape of a rod. The shutoffvalve 20 is provided at the center thereof with a passage 91. Theshutoff valve 20 is provided at both ends thereof with eccentric guiderods 92 and 94, respectively. The shutoff valve 20 is inserted in anoperating hole 95, which passes through the air-supplying channel 22.The eccentric guide rods 92 and 94 of the shutoff valve 20 are engagedin the guide groove 52 so that the shutoff valve 20 is opened or closed.

The guiding member 26 is protruded from the lower cover of the housing2. The guiding member 26 includes an elliptical part having the upperdead center and the lower dead center at one side thereof, whichcorresponds to an intake section, and a semicircular part for extendingthe upper dead center at the other side thereof, which corresponds to anexhaust section. At the center of the guiding member 26 islongitudinally formed the rotating shaft 4.

In the rotary engine of the present invention, the tail parts of thepistons 12 make sliding contact with the elliptical part of the guidingmember 26 when the pistons 12 pass by the intake chamber 32 as shown inFIG. 2. Consequently, the operating chambers 8 are maximally expanded.The guiding rods 66 and 68 of the shutoff valves 16 and the guide rods80 and 82 of the shutoff plates 18 pass by the opened section of theguide grooves 50 and 54 formed at the housing 2 so that the intakestroke is carried out.

The guiding pieces 10 connected to the corresponding shaft rods 58 ofthe pistons 12 are engaged in the guide groove 48 formed at the housing2 so that the operating chambers 8 are maximally expanded in the intakesection.

At this time, the shutoff valves 20 of the air-supplying channels 22 areclosed when they pass by the isolated section of the guide groove 52,the closed state of the shutoff valves 20 is maintained until the gas isexhausted.

When the tail parts of the pistons 12 reach the lower dead center of theguiding member 26, and thus the maximum intake operation isaccomplished, the guiding rods 66 and 68 of the shutoff valves 16 andthe guide rods 80 and 82 of the shutoff plates 18 pass by the openedsection of the guide grooves 50 and 54, and approach the isolatedsection of the guide grooves 50 and 54. Consequently, the intake/exhaustports 14 of the operating chambers 8 are closed, and the closed state ofthe intake/exhaust ports 14 is maintained until the explosion is carriedout.

At this time, the tail parts of the pistons 12 pass by the lower deadcenter and move to the upper dead center so that the compression strokeis carried out.

When the tail parts of the pistons 12 reach the upper dead center of theguiding member 26, the maximum compression is accomplished. This maximumcompression is maintained when they pass by the upper dead center andcontinuously pass by the semicircular part extending the upper deadcenter. When the intake/exhaust ports 14 of the operating chambers 8enter the exhaust chamber 34 under the above-mentioned condition, theguiding rods 66 and 68 of the shutoff valves 16 and the guide rods 80and 82 of the shutoff plates 18 enter the opened sections of the guidinggrooves 50 and 54 so that the operating chambers 8 are opened. When theoperating chambers 8 are opened, the ignition plug 36 mounted at theinlet part of the exhaust chamber 34 is ignited so that the expansionstroke is carried out in the case of a gasoline engine. On the otherhand, air is compressed, and then fuel is injected by means of the fuelinjector so that the expansion stoke is carried out in the case of adiesel engine.

As described above, the rotary engine according to the second preferredembodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. When theignition plug 36′ or the fuel injector is mounted in the intake/exhaustports 14′ of the rotary member 6′, the flame propagation distance isshortened or the explosion is stably carried out under the high pressureas compared to the case in that the ignition plug 36′ or the fuelinjector is mounted in the housing. Consequently, it is preferable thatthe ignition plug 36′ or the fuel injector is mounted adjacent to eachof the operating chambers, if possible.

When the expansion stroke is carried out, the shutoff plates 18 arerotated about the shaft rods 76 and 78, and thus the tail parts of theshutoff plates 18 make sliding contact with the inner wall of theexhaust chamber 34 so that the exhaust chamber 34 is partitioned.Consequently, the expanded exhaust gas is discharged in the directionopposite to the rotating direction of the rotary member 6 with theresult that there is generated a strong propulsive force, by which therotary member 6 is rotated in the housing 2.

This expansion stroke is continued until the tail parts of the shutoffplates 18 pass by the exhaust ports 38. After the tail parts of theshutoff plates 18 pass by the exhaust ports 38, the exhaust operation iscarried out through the exhaust ports 38.

When the exhaust operation is carried out, the guide rods 92 and 94provided at the shutoff valves 20 in the air-supplying channel 22 passby the opened section of the guide groove 52 of the housing 2 with theresult that the air-supplying channel 22 is opened. Compressed air issupplied through the opened air-supplying channel 22 so that the burnedgas left in the operating chambers 8 is forcibly discharged. After thegas is exhausted, the guide rods 92 and 94 of the shutoff valves 20enter the isolated section of the groove 52, by which the air-supplyingchannel 2 is closed.

When the intake/exhaust ports 14 of the rotary members 6 pass by theexhaust ports 38 of the exhaust chamber 34, the guide rods 80 and 82 ofthe shutoff plates 18 enter the isolated section of the guide groove 54so that the intake/exhaust ports 14 are closed. When the intake/exhaustports 14 of the rotary members 6 enter the intake chamber 32, theshutoff plates 18 are opened so that the intake stroke is carried out.

When the above-mentioned intake and exhaust strokes are repeated,lubricating operations are carried out by means of thelubricant-supplying channel 88 having the plurality oflubricant-supplying holes and the lubricant-discharging channel 90having the plurality of lubricant-discharging holes, all of which areformed in the rotating shaft 4. When the lubricating operations arecarried out, the oil seals 26 and 28 surrounding the intake chamber 32and the exhaust chamber 34 of the housing 2 make tight contact with theouter surface of the rotary member 6 by means of the elasticity of theplate springs 44 and 46, whereby leakage of oil is effectivelyprevented.

Specifically, the rotary member 6 makes contact with the oil seals 28and 30 formed at the intake chamber 32 and the exhaust chamber 34 of thehousing 2 in such a manner that the oil seals 28 and 30 surround theintake chamber 32 and the exhaust chamber 34 of the housing 2, wherebythe intake chamber and the exhaust chamber are partitioned from eachother while they are tightly sealed. Consequently, other sectionsexcluding the portioned sections are smoothly lubricated by means of thelubricant, and introduction of the lubricant into the intake chamber 32and the exhaust chamber 34 is prevented.

Also, the intake/exhaust ports 14 of the operating chambers 8 are doublyclosed by means of the shutoff valves 16 and the shutoff plates 18, andbetween the rotary member 6 and the shutoff valves 18 are provided theoil seals 74. Consequently, leakage of the oil is effectively prevented,and the frictional force of the shutoff plates 18 due to the compressedfuel is reduced.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As apparent from the above description, introduction of oil into anintake chamber and an exhaust chamber formed at a housing is effectivelyprevented by means of oil seals surrounding the intake chamber and theexhaust chamber, and intake/exhaust ports of operating chambers aredoubly closed by means of shutoff valves and shutoff plates, wherebyincomplete combustion of fuel due to introduction of lubricant isprevented. Also, loss of fuel and expanded pressure is eliminated whencompression and expansion strokes are carried out, and the compressedair is supplied to the operating chambers so that burned gas left in theoperating chambers is forcibly discharged, whereby desired power can beobtained.

Furthermore, the tail parts of the shutoff plates make sliding contactwith the inner wall of the exhaust chamber so that the exhaust chamberis partitioned. As a result, explosion is carried out at the rear partof the exhaust chamber to obtain a rotating force of a rotary member.Consequently, the present invention has an effect of generating greaterpower.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendisclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas disclosed in the accompanying claims.

1. A rotary engine comprising: a cylindrical housing having an intakechamber and an exhaust chamber formed at the inner wall thereof, theintake and exhaust chambers being caved in the inner wall of thehousing; a guiding member disposed at the center of the housing, theguiding member being formed in a semi-elliptical shape at intake andcompression sections and in a semicircular shape at an exhaust section;a rotary member disposed in the housing such that the rotary member isrotatable along with a rotating shaft; pistons disposed in a pluralityof operating chambers formed at the rotary member such that the pistonsare rotatable about shaft rods (58), respectively, each of the pistonshaving a tail part contacting the outer circumference of the guidingmember; shutoff valves engaged in a guide groove formed at the housingthrough guide rods inserted through intake/exhaust ports formed at theoperating chambers of the rotary member; and an ignition plug disposedat the inlet of the exhaust chamber of the housing or at theintake/exhaust ports of the rotary member; and shutoff plates rotatablydisposed at the outsides of the intake/exhaust ports of the rotarymember, respectively, the shutoff plates being engaged in the guidegroove of the housing through guide rods.
 2. The engine as set forth inclaim 1, further comprising oil seals surrounding the intake chamber andthe exhaust chamber of the housing, respectively.
 3. The engine as setforth in claim 2, wherein the oil seals comprise sealing parts and platesprings, both sides of the sealing parts being separable from thehousing body of the housing.
 4. The engine as set forth in claim 1,further comprising oil seals arranged around the intake/exhaust portsformed at the operating chambers of the rotary member, respectively. 5.The engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the shutoff valvesfor opening or closing the intake/exhaust ports of the rotary membercomprises: a rod-shaped body; a passage formed at one side of therod-shaped body; and guide rods eccentrically formed at both ends of therod-shaped body.
 6. The engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein thepistons are constructed such that guide rollers of guiding piecesconnected to shaft rods of the pistons contact the sidewall of anelliptical guide groove formed at the housing.
 7. The engine as setforth in claim 1, wherein the operating chambers of the rotary memberhave air-supplying channels that are opened or closed by shutoff valves,respectively.
 8. The engine as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of theshutoff valves for opening or closing the air-supplying channelscomprises: a passage formed at one side of a rod-shaped body thereof;and guide rods eccentrically formed at both ends of the rod-shaped body,the guide rods being engaged in a guide groove formed at the housing.